Case Study: Intra-abdominal actinomycosis may present as a malignant tumor

Summary

Actinomycosis is a chronic suppurative granulomatous inflammatory disease caused by different Actinomyces species, mainly Actinomyces israelii. It is an anaerobic gram-positive bacteria. The intra-abdominal location of this infection is rare. Here I shall discuss the case of a 45-year-old female with intra-abdominal actinomycosis that was clinically suspected as a case of malignant tumor. The diagnosis was made with aspiration cytology, and the patient was treated conservatively.

Background

Abdominopelvic actinomycosis can be suspected clinically as well as radiologically, and there are few case reports on the same, but in all instances, the diagnosis was confirmed histologically only after surgical intervention. Abdominopelvic actinomycosis may result from intra-uterine contraceptive devices or may occur as a post-surgical complication. In rare cases, it may occur spontaneously. Clinically, it has wide range of presentation – tumor, asymptomatic mass, or acute abdomen....